NAIROBI, Kenya — Rising tension in South Sudan has prompted the United States to call for the departure of nonessential government staff from the capital, Juba, due to escalating conflicts in the northern region. The U.S. State Department issued this directive on Sunday, citing ongoing hostilities and the widespread availability of weapons to the civilian population.
The security situation deteriorated after an armed faction engaged in battles with the national army on Tuesday. This confrontation resulted in the detainment of two senior government officials and a high-ranking deputy army chief, all associated with Vice President Riek Machar, a former rebel leader. In response to these developments, Machar’s residence came under military surveillance, with his supporters warning that the detentions posed a threat to the nation’s fragile peace accord.
South Sudan’s history of conflict includes a devastating civil war that spanned from 2013 to 2018, claiming over 400,000 lives. In 2018, President Salva Kiir and his adversary, Machar, negotiated a peace deal, which is still in the stages of being fully implemented. However, the recent hostilities put the continuation of this peace process in jeopardy.
The situation worsened on Friday when a United Nations helicopter, engaged in evacuation operations in the northern region, was attacked. This incident has been condemned by U.N. officials as a potential war crime, further complicating the already precarious security landscape.
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan expressed grave concerns on Saturday, indicating that the unfolding violence in the northern areas and increasing tensions in Juba threaten to undermine years of efforts towards peace. Yasmin Sooka, the commission’s chairperson, emphasized that the recent regression risks undoing critical progress. She urged national leaders to channel their efforts towards the peace process, safeguard the human rights of citizens, and facilitate a peaceful transition to democratic governance.
